The Atlas Travel Web.com Blog

Royal Caribbean Cruise line’s latest Freedom-class ship, debuted in the U.S. yesterday at Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Touted as one of the world’s largest cruise ships, it will be Royal Caribbean’s first Freedom-class ship to sail from Port Everglades.

When it comes to onboard activities, Independence of the Seas offers an unbelievable array of choices. For those who love to go wild on vacation, you can hang-10 on the popular FlowRider, take your frustrations out in the boxing ring, putter around on the nine-hole miniature golf course, or cool off at the ice-skating rink. For travelers who want to just sail away from it all, the ship offers plenty of soothing distractions such as whirlpools, a day spa, solarium with an indoor/outdoor pool, and a library. Plus, children will love the fun designed just for them with the H20 Zone interactive water park and the Adventure Ocean Youth Program.

Hungry? The three-deck-high main dining room serves your favorite dishes from around the world. Cruisers can also enjoy casual eateries like the buffet at Windjammer Café, Johnny Rockets 50s-style diner, Sorrento’s pizza parlor & Ben & Jerry’s. Independence of the Seas also has two specialty restaurants: Portofino Italian Restaurant & Chops Grille. After dinner, you can burn off those calories with scores of entertainment options. Drop off the kids for evening activities at the Adventure Ocean club, & press your luck at the Casino, perform like an “American Idol” during karaoke classic at the On Air Club, or dance the night away in the castle-themed nightclub, The Crypt. Want fun for the whole family? Shoot for the high score in the arcade, watch a movie together in the theater, or take the whole bunch to see the ice skating show or headline performance at the Broadway-style venue Arcadia Theatre.

Independence will sail from Ft. Lauderdale & alternate between eight-night Eastern Caribbean & six-night Western Caribbean itineraries. The Eastern Caribbean itinerary will call at San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Phillipsburg, St. Maarten and Labadee, Royal Caribbean’s private beach destination in Haiti. The Western Caribbean itinerary will call at Belize City, Belize; & Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico.

General Tours’  small group escorted tour to exotic Southeast Asia is a rich & leisurely way to explore this distant land. Its unique inclusions are visiting Singapore with a private guide, a deluxe overnight cruise on Ha Long bay, two full days of expertly guided sightseeing at Angkor Wat, and a night on the Mekong Delta.

Visions of Vietnam & Angkor Wat with Singapore is a 17 day package starting from $5,999 pp land only. Price includes luxury hotel accommodations, overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay, most meals, all sightseeing & on-tour transportation including flights within Vietnam & Cambodia.

Exclusive offer: Book by December 31st, & receive a complimentary lunch at The Line, a restaurant at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore.  A 14 day itinerary is available without Singapore from $3,599 pp

In South America, discover the rich cultural legacy & sophisticated charms of two of the continent’s great capitals. Explore Mendoza, Argentina’s best wine region, and staisfy your lust for magnificent scenery with a spectacular overland journey across the mighty peaks of the Andes. Excursions include wine tastings, a tango lesson, and a cooking class will provide an insider’s point of view.

Traditions & Flavors of South America is an 8 day package from $2,379 pp Rates include deluxe hotel accommodations, many meals, sightseeing at 2 estate wineries in Mendoza & all on-tour transportation & internal flights.

Exclusive offer: Booking by December 31st and receive complimentary private airport transfers on land-only bookings.

AARP Members receive up to $200 off per couple.

July 4th, 2009: Independence Day Crossing

Enjoy a thrilling fireworks display above historic Boston Harbor from the deck of the Queen Mary 2.  Then set sail for New York & ultimately end up in Southampton, England over the 8 day crossing.

September 8, 2009: The Kennedy Center Chamber Players

Sail on a musical adventure with The Kennedy Center Chamber Players, a small group comprised of six national Symphony Orchestra principal players will perform 3 concerts on this cruise. Nigel Boon, NSO Director of Artistic Planning will also be onboard to present 3 lectures as part of the Cunard Insights enrichment programme.

Save up to 10% off Early Booking Fares

Globus just released their 2009 brochure for their Food & Wine vacations. With more than 80 years of experience, Globus can make your trip delicious. We will take you to the vineyards of Tuscany, arrange for a tasting of the cheeses of France, explain the story behind the baked beans of Boston, the sourdough breads of San Francisco, the sweets of Austria, and the lobsters of New England.

On a Food & Wine vacation, you’ll enjoy plenty of hands-on experiences. Take a cooking lesson that reveals the secrets of Italy’s timehonored dishes. Learn about the climate, soils, and grape varieties in France’s celebrated Bordeaux region. Indulge your senses at the Biarritz Museum of Chocolate, tour a maple sugarworks in Vermont, or find out what makes California’s sparkling wines bubble— and that’s just the beginning!

Fabulous London is the perfect destination for a travel experience befitting royalty. You may want to spend time in the British Museum, cruise the Thames River, shop along Bond Street, walk through Trafalgar Squre or check out the city view from the London Eye. Better yet, spend an afternoon at Vinapolis: City of Wine as you wander the airy vaults of this old cellar & listen to the history of wine while you sample some of the subject matter. Why not add on Paris for a few nights?  With Monograms, you design the perfect trip. Four days in London start at just $549 pp

Tourism Cares’ Mission is to preserve the travel experience for future generations.  Volunteers from the travel and tourism industry clean up & restore culturally significant, tourism-related sites needing care & rejuvenation. More than 2,000 volunteers have donated more than 20,000 hours at sites across North America.

The next project is April 16-18, 2009 to restore Gettysburg.   Corporate sponsors are accepted.

Royal Caribbean will phase their “Get Out There” slogan in exchange for “The Nation of Why Not?” The company launched print advertising on November 10th, and will be followed by TV ads as well as a web site: www.nationofwhynot.com The tv commercials are meant to highlight all the different places in the world you can visit on a Royal Caribbean cruise & also pointing out that the ships are a destination as well with surfing, rock climbing, ice skating & more. So RCCL is asking the question “Why Not” climb a glacier in Alaska or “Why Not” rock climb while in the middle of the Pacific ocean? “Why Not” stroll along the Boardwalk or Central Park aboard the new Oasis of the Seas coming out late 2009?

Royal Caribbean offers vacations in the Caribbean, Bermuda, Canada, Alaska, Asia, South America, Europe, Australia & New Zealand.

The Solstice is Celebrity’s largest ship, & can accomodate 2,850 passengers. From the staterooms, restaurant & bar decor, to the over 6 million dollars in art displayed…the ship is beautiful! It is a large ship, with an intimate feel.

Cabins: Celebrity used the input of women when designing their staterooms & it shows. Five boomer women, identified by the line as “Celebrity’s Leading Ladies,” specially selected for their distinct points of view – a frequent cruiser, a travel agent, a travel writer, a hotelier and a cruise considerer. The end result is a room with neutral colors & a great lay out. The bathrooms are larger than most ships with glass enclosed showers & shelves for storage space. The bed is high enough to store luggage underneath, and has a comfortable mattress & sheets. The closets had cubby holes, plenty of room for hanging clothes on both sides an over-sized safe.  A large and comfortable cream-colored leather couch, which converts to a bed, occupies one side of the living area. On the opposite side is an attractive armoire with five drawers; a small refrigerator; several areas for storage; a makeup/desk-like area with large mirror and chair; and a large 32-inch Samsung flat-screen.  Regular channels including CNN, Espn & TNT as well as an Art & Travel Channel. If you don’t find anything of interest, there is also free on demand & pay per view movies. You can also see the room service menu online, connect to the internet via a keyboard provided in your room or listen to music channels that offered an array of genres including country, children, jazz, hip hop & classical. For a larger balcony, book a Sunset Verandah (Cat 1A) Not interested in a balcony? Inside & ocean view balconies offer the same spacious bathrooms & closets.

There are 30 handicap accesible cabins (inside & balconies - no ocean view) Upgrades include push button entrance, higher beds & two level closets.

Aqua Class cabins are similar in design to the balcony cabins, but are adjacent to the spa area. Guests have added perks including a pillow & aroma selection, Hansgrohe shower panels & an exclusive dining room: Blu. A Spa concierge will assist guests with booking spa treatments.  Guests in these cabins also receive perks such as complimentary bottled water, daily canapes, & a dedicated television channel with special programming, including music chosen by therapists for relaxation.

Suites: Penthouse, Royal, Celebrity & Sky feature enhanced amenities and services. They’ll all have a long list of butler-style extras, such as packing and unpacking; full menu meal service for breakfast, lunch and dinner; free espresso and cappuccino. Also included are two complimentary dinners at the alternative restaurants of your choice.

Restaurants: Celebrity cruises is synonymous with world class dining. The Grand Epernay, main dining room is gorgeous with a two story glass wine tower & dazzling chandeliers. Service is excellent & there are a number of tables for two if you arrive early. Murano which is also on Celebrity’s Millennium class ships, serves modern French cuisine. Menu choices include lobster, duck & alaskan crab. You can reserve a private room for a party of 8 in their wine cellar area. Silk Harvest, offers Asian food including sushi as well as a fusion of Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chinese & Indian dishes. Tuscan Grill is an upscale steak house with an Italian influence, so you can enjoy Caesar salads prepared tableside, an antipasti bar, Kobe beef & a variety of steaks, all paired with a robust list of fine Italian wines. Blu is the restaurant included for all Aqua Class passenger. Menu selections include seafood, herb crusted lamb & steaks, using healthier methods of preparation (i.e. no heavy sauces or fried items). Room service is available 24 hours per day for something as simple as a sandwich or chicken wings, to a  romantic dinner for to on your balcony.

Interested in the night life? Relaxing, more intimate clubs offer everything from wine & cognac tastings to smooth jazz.  Ensemble Lounge had a live jazz band in the evenings & is located near all of the alternative dining restaurants. Cellar Masters is a wine bar inspired by the vineyards of Napa Valley. Excellent variety of wines sold both by the glass & bottle. Renowned Riedel comparative wine tasting programs will be offered throughout the cruise. A sommelier can assist you in paring the perfect wine for dinner that evening & deliver the bottle to the dining room.  Galleria Tasting is a bar off of the shopping area & has several large screen tv’s over the bar. The Art gallery is also located here, offering an extensive art collection for browsing. Michael’s Club has an intimate, pub style setting with a marble fireplace & contemporary artwork. The piano player entertained with music from Bill Joel & Elton John as well as more modern music. The most popular bar on our cruise was the Martini bar inspired by water, ice & snow. Choose from over 100 types of vodkas, or order your favorite drink & watch the bartender’s “show” while they prepare cocktails. There is also a futuristic nightclub called Quasar & late night live entertainment in the Sky Observation Lounge.

A two-story retail shopping area offers wonderful window displays & surprisingly reasonable prices. Shop for men’s & woman’s designer fashions, as well as jewelry, fragrances & accessories.

The pool area has several canopies if you like to lounge around but not be exposed to the sun. Get there early, as these fill up. There is also canopy seating around the solarium pool. The solarium is for adults only.  Live music throughout the day & fountains synchronized to music makes the pool area come to life. Upper pool deck area has a bar & casual dining on burgers, hot dogs & nachos.

The Lawn Club was bigger than I expected (over 1/2 an acre.) Lots of comfortable seating around the lawn area for those that just want to watch the activities. There will be two courts for bocce ball, a putting range & an area for picnics. Corning Museum has an area off of the Lawn Club with glassblowing artists that conduct live glassmaking demonstrations, lectures & workshops.  Right behind the Lawn Club was the Patio & Sunset bar offering wonderful views of the ocean with music playing in the background.

The Aqua Spa offers Elemis products and is one of the largest we have seen at sea. There are 17 massage/treatment rooms, hair & nail salon, as well as the Parisian Gardens which are exclusive to Aqua Class guests.  Services include waxing, hair styling, manicures & pedicures as well as massages & body treatments.

There is a Fun Factory & Teen (”Xclub”) with computers, Wii, arcade games & more.

Celebrity has a winner in the Solstice, and they were betting on that, with 3 new identical ships already on order: the Equinox sails in 2009; Eclipse for 2010 & a 4th vessel yet to be named planned for 2011.

I invite you to take a look at my pictures taking during the 2 day Inaugural cruise Nov. 12th - 14th.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association is completing it’s guidelines to help hotels become more “green.” At this point, there is no plan to create a certification program, but rather ask for minimal environmental guidelines to be followed. Some items being addressed are energy saving measures such as towel & linen reuse programs, waste management & use of fluorescent bulbs & digital thermometers. It’s not much, but it is a start to what we hope will be increased changes in the coming years.

Many individual hotel chains are taking their own steps to help the environment. InterContinental Hotels has set up a new Innovation Hotel, which is a specially dedicated section of the IHG web site that will showcase the hotel’s green efforts both now & for properties in the future. Many things are being put into place within the next few years, such as solar roof panels, recycled furniture & low-emissions paint, where other items such as “green roof” & rainwater harvesting will take more time to implement as new hotels are built.

Ask an agent to assist you in finding hotels worldwide that are committed to the environment & “greening” the hospitality industry.

I just returned from Insight Vacations Easy Pace Russia.  It was a fantastic experience. We spent 3 nights in St Petersburg & 3 nights in Moscow & used the train to get between the cities. Since we spent so much time in each area, we had ample time to see all of the sights & also to explore on our own. All of Insight’s Easy Pace programs require a minimum of 3 nights in each city, which allows you to really get to know an area.

One of the highlights of the trip in St Petersburg was our visit to the Hermitage Museum located in the Winter Palace. The Winter Palace was the residence of the Russian Czars & was built during the span of 1754 to 1762. The array of artwork by the masters was mind boggling; with over 3 million pieces of work from the Stone Age to the 20 Century. Peter the Great’s summer residence at Petrodvorets, with its fabulous gardens, is also not to be missed.

Moscow exceeded my expectations. Red Square & the Kremlin were wonderful. Gum’s Shopping Center at Red Sq was amazing; built in 1893 brings you back to the time of the Czars. Another thing that wowed me there were the subways. It is hard to believe that a subway could impress anyone, but in all of my travels & there have been lots, I have never seen anything like what I saw there. The station at Red Sq built by Stalin has bronze sculptures throughout. You would think that you were in a museum, rather than a subway station. The other stations also had fabulous art work.

I also found the food to be quite good. Breakfasts were huge buffets with a vast array of choices. Typical Russian dinners were borsht (a hot beet soup) & beef stroganoff (Created by the Duke of Stroganoff because he had no teeth & needed something soft to eat). Salads & desserts are also included. Lots of vodka toasts occur, as well, at dinner time.

Shopping is great with the dollar getting a great exchange rate against the ruble. Picking up a matrioshka (stacking doll) is a must. I brought 2 home.

Russia should definitely be one of the places on your list to see. If you want to have a fantastic time, make sure you experience it with Insight Vacations.

Contributed by Elaine Post
Elaine is the Director of Sales East, Insight Vacations & has traveled extensively.